But there’s justice in the form of just compensation and there’s justice in the form of, well, what justice is always described as in a criminal context – deterrence. No financial penalty will do as much to prevent future conduct of this type as a senior executive being sent to jail. And the failure of having accountability on that level is like a festering wound at the heart of our politics.

You might have noticed this past week that the Department of Justice has seemingly declared war on Medical Marijuana dispensaries. The first salvo was probably at the end of September when the ATF issued a statement that it is illegal for medical marijuana users to use firearms. Since then, the four California US Attorneys have declared that California Medical Marijuana dispensaries have to close within 45 days:

It is hard for an administration to get a confirmation if it does not make nominations. Take federal judges for instance, for most of the past two years there have been around a hundred vacancies on the Circuit and District courts; Mr. Obama has rarely had nominees for more than half of them. This is simply federal administrative incompetence, and it takes a heavy toll in the hallways and dockets of justice.

Things were going along pretty well for the Bush Administration Apologists Alumni Association. Sure, they were out of their old offices, but things were good. Obama adopted their wars as his own, the economy has sputtered along long enough to have become (in the public’s mind) at least as much Obama’s fault as theirs (thus the cries of “deficits! deficits! deficits!” from those who launched us into two wars), and most of the BAAAA have landed in cushy lucrative new digs.

Then Obama had to ruin it by getting bin Laden. Suddenly, all the old discussions are back — at least as far as torture goes — and this has at least some of them very worried, like Michael Mukasey.

He should worry. A lot.

If so, and Kelly is indeed nominated, this is a contemptible plan.

There was something I appreciated about the Holder press conference capitulating on trying the 9/11 defendants in civilian trials.

He didn’t try to spin it as a good idea.

Because nothing says “laying the foundation” of a Presidential campaign and “inspiring new” supporters like caving to fearmongering.

Former Bush Special Counsel Scott Bloch’s attempt to get out of his guilty plea has been denied and he will be sentenced to prison today.

Give the power to take away rights to the Secretary of Defense…you mean the name isn’t Orwellian enough?

Thanks to a decision by the Obama Administration’s Department of Justice in siding with drug manufacturers, price discounts for drugs provided to government supported hospitals and clinics are now in jeopardy.